Iran Reports

We shall turn Shahrokh Zamani’s death into a banner of workers’ unity and solidarity for which he was a leading figure

Shahrokh Zamani, the courageous and tireless fighter of the Iranian workers’ movement has in complete shock and disbelief died in Gohardasht prison. Whatever reason the officials may give for the cause of Shahrokh’s death, in our view the direct responsibility for his death lies completely with those who have imposed conditions of slavery on the workers and have taken away our rights to organize and struggle for a better life, and on those who have jailed great and noble human beings like Shahrokh Zamani.

The shocking death of Shahrokh in jail, without any prior history of illness, is not the first news of a loss of life by a prisoner, and given the current conditions in the country’s prisons, will not be the last. Although Shahrokh’s sudden death is suspicious to any unbiased person, but even without any such suspicions, the conditions in prisons, especially for worker activists and political prisoners, are already murderous enough for a thousand reasons; from sound waves and frequencies to unsuitable food, from inadequate sanitation to absence of medical care, from unhealthy living quarters to every kind of mental and psychological pressures.

Shahrokh Zamani had committed no crimes other than defending the rights of his fellow workers. He had no official position, and had committed no fraud or looting; he was a paint worker, a member of the Founding Board of the Syndicate of Paint Workers of Tehran and the Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers Organizations and an honorary member of Paint Workers Syndicate of Alborz Province, and its founding mentor. He was incarcerated in June 2011 for striving in defence of workers’ rights. 

But for a brave and noble person like Shahrokh, prison did not mean an end to struggles.  

In all those years of imprisonment, from his tiny jail cell, he did not pause for a moment; he continued to fight for just causes until his last breath. 

Neither prison walls, nor the courts or repression and pressures from prison guards and security officials could silence Shahrokh. With incredible humility and humbleness and unparalleled courage and strength, he was a symbol of resistance and militancy of the Iranian working class for liberation from oppression and exploitation.

Death of Shahrokh is a heavy and irreparable loss for his family, friends and for the workers’ movement in Iran. Our sincere and heartfelt condolences go out to Shahrokh’s family members, his friends, fellow jail mates and all workers across the country. We also declare that although the death of our beloved Shahrokh is an excruciating affliction, we shall not remain in mourning and lamentations, but we shall transform Shahrokh’s death into a banner of workers’ unity and solidarity for which he led the way.

Long live workers unity and solidarity!

We salute you Shahrokh Zamani!

List of organizations in (Persian) alphabetical order:

1) Free Union of Iranian workers

2) Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Workers Syndicate

3) Alborz Province Syndicate of Paint Workers

4) Centre for the Defenders of Workers’ Rights

5) Committee to Pursue the Establishment of Workers Organizations 

6) Coordinating Committee to Help Form workers’ organizations

7) Founding Board of the Syndicate of Paint Workers of Tehran 

 

www.workers-iran.org

Original in Farsi: http://www.etehadbinalmelali.com/HTML_2015/24_Shahrivar_94_Zamani.html

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